Boston College Head Coach Bill O'Brien Says Program is on 'Right Path' With NIL

The second-year Eagles head coach spoke about navigating the transfer portal and NIL after the first day of training camp on Wednesday morning.

Boston College Athletics

Over the past few years, college football has made drastic changes regarding players being able to be compensated. 

The first change was the NCAA implementing its Name, Image and Likeness policy in July 2021, allowing student-athletes to be paid by third-parties, mostly being brand deals by companies. 

The second major change was over the summer when Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House v. NCAA settlement which granted schools the power to directly pay players up to a certain amount each year. 

The two moves were both met with praise and criticism, but mostly raised more questions from experts and fans on how this ruling will shape out overall. 

Boston College football head coach Bill O’Brien spoke on the changes after training camp and how he is navigating the ever-changing world of college football.  

“I think it's day-to-day, I really do,” said O’Brien. “I do think, to this point, we have done a good job of handling [it] whether it’s NIL or transfer portal. We’ve lost some guys, some guys have transferred, but for the most part we’ve kept the bulk of this football team together.

“NIL-wise, we do have an ‘earn it’ philosophy,” said O’Brien. “Very few exceptions to the rule. Maybe a transfer here and there, but overall I think we compensate the team the right way. We’ll see. Time will tell. I think over the course of time, Boston College football, we’re gonna have to make more of a commitment to NIL and I think we will. I believe that we will, but I think where we are right now [is good].” 

The second-year Eagles coach emphasized that it is a daily battle, but believes Boston College is headed in the right direction.

“But it’s a day-to-day [thing], connecting with these kids, continuing to coach them, make sure that they know how much you care about them and their success on and off the field, it’s a daily [thing],” said O’Brien. “It’s something you look forward to, but you don’t say ‘okay, we’ve arrived.’ There’s no way you would ever say that. We got a long way to go, but I think we’re on the right path.” 

O’Brien also shared that he does not mind the new landscape of college football and works it out through the grand scheme of things. 

“I embrace the new landscape of college football,” said O’Brien. “I think it’s awesome. What I think the misnomer is is that people try to compare it to the NFL. It’s nothing like the NFL…. What I’m saying is you have to embrace who you are within that landscape. This is who we are. We are a tremendous Jesuit-Catholic education that forms the whole person and plays good football, gives back to the community. We do a lot in the greatest city in the world. So that’s what we offer these kids. It’s not just ‘hey, we’re able to pay you this.’ Some of these kids are compensated very well, no doubt about it. But there’s so much more to it.” 

Boston College will hold its second training camp practice on Thursday morning.